Find out how popular the last name Zane is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Zane.

Zane, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Zane surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zane in America

Zane is the 11502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zane surname appeared 2,735 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Zane.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zane to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Zane

The surname Zane originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Veneto. It dates back to the 12th century and is believed to be derived from the Italian personal name "Zano," which itself is a shortened form of the Latin name "Zeno." The name "Zeno" is of Greek origin and means "gift of Zeus."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Zane can be found in various Italian documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the "Codice Diplomatico Padovano," a collection of historical records from the city of Padua, where the name appears in reference to a family of landowners and merchants.

In the 15th century, the Zane family gained prominence in Venice, with members holding influential positions in the city's government and commercial affairs. One of the most notable figures from this period was Pietro Zane (1430-1504), a Venetian merchant and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.

Another significant figure bearing the Zane surname was Giacomo Zane (1668-1735), a Venetian historian and writer who authored several works on the history of Venice and its institutions. His most famous work is the "Storia della Repubblica Veneta," a comprehensive account of the Venetian Republic.

In the 18th century, the Zane family established itself in the United States, with some members settling in Pennsylvania and Virginia. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of Isaac Zane (1753-1816), a pioneer and frontiersman who founded the settlement of Zanesville, Ohio, named after his family.

Another notable American with the Zane surname was Ebenezer Zane (1747-1811), a pioneer and road builder who established the Zane's Trace, an early road that connected Wheeling, West Virginia, to Maysville, Kentucky, and played a crucial role in the westward expansion of the United States.

Overall, the surname Zane has a rich history that spans centuries and continents, with its roots in Italy and a strong presence in the United States, where it has been associated with pioneering efforts and the exploration of the American frontier.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zane

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Zane.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Zane was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Zane has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Zane was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zane, please contact us.

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